The government claim of Saranda being freed from Maoist control suffered a severe credibility set back with the rebels hijacking a train near Manoharpur, the block from which most of Saranda is administered.

A group of armed Maoist stopped the Tata-Bilaspur express at Poseita near Manoharpur, in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Monday evening.

According to a report in Prabbhat Khabar, Hindi daily, the hold-up happened around 9.25 pm after the rebels boarded the train between Goilkera and Poseita and stopped the train at the east Poseita railway cabin, threatening the train driver and his assistant with gun. Nearly 12 armed Maoist took control of the coaches, while many masked rebels stuck posters and banners inside and outside the train. They also distributed leaflets demanding immediate halting of the Operation Green Hunt.

The posters also warned the public against cooperating with the paramilitary forces against the banned communist party of India (Maoist). There were also warnings of stepping up of the Operation Gorilla, launched by the Maoist in retaliation of the government drive to depose them from their strongholds.

The train was subsequently let go and reached Manoharpur around 11 pm. The hold-up put other trains on the route off gear with one of the passenger trains halting at Manoharpur until the early hours of Tuesday.